University systems join in marketing push with White House

Jan. 16, 2014

Updated Jan. 17, 2014 7:57 a.m.

1 of 2

Michelle Obama speaks Thursday about college opportunities during an event in the Eisenhower Executive Office building in Washington. President Barack Obama and Michelle Obama both spoke about expanding college opportunities for low-income students. MARK WILSON, GETTY IMAGES

1 of 2

President Barack Obama speaks Thursday about college opportunities during an event in the Eisenhower Executive Office building in Washington, D.C. Obama and Michelle Obama both spoke about expanding college opportunities for low-income students. MARK WILSON, GETTY IMAGES

Michelle Obama speaks Thursday about college opportunities during an event in the Eisenhower Executive Office building in Washington. President Barack Obama and Michelle Obama both spoke about expanding college opportunities for low-income students. MARK WILSON, GETTY IMAGES

Did you know?

California's three public college systems serve nearly 3 million students annually. The University of California is home to 187,000 students, the California State University serves 437,000 students and the California Community Colleges, the largest system of higher education in the nation, serves 2.3 million students per year.

Sources: CSU, UC, California Community Colleges

WASHINGTON – The heads of the three California public higher education systems went to the White House on Thursday to promote a three-pronged effort to make college more accessible to the underprivileged.

They joined President Barack Obama, Michelle Obama and representatives of more than 100 other universities, businesses and nonprofits as part of a national initiative.

The message: Broader access to college among low-income youth and raising awareness of higher education opportunities are ways to encourage economic mobility and blunt the effects of income inequality.

“One of the first steps is getting more underserved young people onto college campuses,” Michelle Obama said at the event. “The fact is that right now we are missing out on so much potential because so many promising young people … simply don’t believe that college can be a reality for them. Too many of them are falling through the cracks.”

University of California President Janet Napolitano told the Register afterward that the institution she leads, as well as the California State University and California Community Colleges systems, plan to link their databases so they can communicate with students in community college from their first day. Students will be told what is required to transfer to a four-year institution, which classes will transfer and what financial aid is available.

“What I have seen time and time again is students and family presuming they can’t go to UC because it’s too expensive,” said Napolitano, who added that students too often “self-select out.”

The three college systems plan to reach out to seventh-graders to make sure students are aware of their options. The institutions will look to identify and work with students who take SAT practice tests, but don’t take any additional college preparatory tests and courses.

Cal State pledged approximately $28 million for its effort, funds which come primarily from state appropriations and tuition. Some of this funding would go to hire additional professional staff advisers to help them navigate life on campus – a task now often handled by other students.

Funding would also go to enhance a summer program that brings incoming students up to speed in math and English. Other funding would enrich practices like internships, study-abroad programs and “learning communities” that encourage degree completion.

“Education is an antidote,” CSU Chancellor Timothy White said after the White House event. “It is an antidote to poverty, and it’s an antidote to violence and conflict. It’s an antidote to the inability to move around society.”

Serving as a gateway to the higher education system, the California Community Colleges System pledged greater emphasis on strengthening basic skills in students’ first year to prepare them for academic life in their second year – and beyond – at a four-year institution.

“I think (today’s event) was an extremely successful activity,” said Brice Harris, chancellor of California Community Colleges. “To remain globally competitive, the U.S. must have both more people going to college and also people succeeding at higher rates.”

User Agreement

Keep it civil and stay on topic. No profanity, vulgarity, racial
slurs or personal attacks. People who harass others or joke about
tragedies will be blocked. By posting your comment, you agree to
allow Orange County Register Communications, Inc. the right to
republish your name and comment in additional Register publications
without any notification or payment.